Bag frame structure



June 21, 1938- 5, s, K

BAG FRAME STRUCTURE Filed April 8, 1955 @E GE 6; MERE R 24/ w my Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BAG FRAME STRUCTURE Application April 8, 1935, Serial No. 15,177

4 Claims.

My invention aims to provide improvements in bag frame structures and relates particularly to the attachment of ornaments thereto.

In the drawing which illustrates a. preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one form of my invention which includes two ornament pieces, one being shown in normal position and one being shown moved part way into position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the frame structure shown in Fig. 1 with parts of the side members of the frame broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing the manner of mounting the ornament member;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the channel member which supports the ornament;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the ornament before attachment.

While I am aware of the fact that bag frame ornaments of various types and designs have been attached to bag frames by channel members. I believe that I am the first to provide the combination of elements hereinafter more specifically described and claimed, particularly with reference to the mounting of ornaments in such a manner that the mounting means is concealed and, therefore, the full effect of the ornament or ornaments is secured.

Referring now to the particular structure selected for illustration of my invention, I have shown a well-known type of bag or vanity frame used in the manufacture of ladies handbags and vanities. This frame includes a pair of U-shaped members I and 2 (Fig. 4) arranged in side-by-side relationship and hinged together at their free ends 3 (Fig. 2) in the usual manner. These frame members have the usual top portions 4 and 5 upon which are usually mounted the looking or latching means 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) of any wellknown construction for holding the frames in bag-closing positions.

In order to ornament the top of the bag frame to harmonize with the lock 6 or in any other suitable decoratlve manner, I have secured at opposite sides of the lock structure 6 ornament pieces I and 8 which are substantially half round in cross-section and of a width preferably tocover the top members 4 and 5. Each ornament member 1 and 8 is secured to the bag frame in the same manner and therefore I shall describe only one construction.

My improved construction for securing an ornament includes a sheet metal channel member 9 secured to the top bar 4 of the frame member I at one side of the lock means 6 and this channel member has side walls 'I ll--| preferably converging as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This channel member 9 may be attached to the top bar member 4 in any suitable manner. have shown it as being attached by means of prongs I |H located adjacent to the ends thereof and passing through the upper wall of the top bar member 4 and clenched against the under side thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

The ornament 8 may be formed of any suitable material and in any desired shape but it is preferred to have a flat bottom face. The particular ornaments which I have shown are made of solid plastic material and in the bottom face I have formed grooves l2--l2 preferably converging as they enter the material so as to cooperate with the converging walls Ill-Ill of the channel member. These slots I2l2 begin at one end of the ornament member 8 and terminate short of the other end (Fig. 7) so that they are not exposed when the bag structure is viewed from one end. Since the grooves l2-l2 cooperate with the side walls Ill-l0 the ornament may be attached to the channel member by sliding it endw'lse after entering the walls in the groove, as shown at the left-hand sides of Figs. 1 and 2. In the particular structure illustrated the ornaments 1 and 8 are moved longitudinally until they abut the lock member 6, as clearly shown at the right-hand sides of Figs. 1 and 2.

Any suitable means may be employed to hold the ornaments I and 8 in their normal positions against accidental longitudinal removal. One way in which this may be accomplished is to provide a yieldable finger or detent member l3 in the bottom of the channel 9 (Figs. 3, 5, and 6) which is depressed into a slot [4 (Fig. 3) as the ornament passes overit during the engaging operation and finally the spring finger or detent l3 snaps into a recess l (Figs. 3 and 7) in the bottom of the ornament 8 to hold it securely in position. If it is desirable to remove the ornament it can be accomplished by exerting sufiicient pressure to release the detent l3 from the recess l4.

My invention is simple, compact and reduced to a minimum number of parts. It is also particularly desirable because it decorates without exposing attaching means for the ornaments which would in many instances detract from the In the drawing I?" decorative appearances. Furthermore, as illustrated by the drawing, ornamentation of a bag frame or other similar structure can be so arranged that the structure of the frame members is entirely concealed.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, because the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

1. The combination with a bag frame having opposed members hinged together and movable toward and away from each other, of a channel member at the outer face of one of said members and having converging side walls extending away from said member and an ornamental member having slots in the under face thereof receiving said side walls and interlocking the ornament in place so that the channel is concealed, said slots in said ornament converging in a similar manner to said side walls and beginning at .oneend of the ornament and terminating short of the other end to permit engagement of said ornament with said channel by a longitudinal approaching movement to engage the side walls in said slots.

2. The combination With a bag frame having opposed members hinged together and movable toward and away from each other of a channel member at the outer face of one of said members and having converging side walls extending away from said member, and an ornament memberhaving cooperating converging slots in the under face thereofreceiving said side walls, said channel member having an open end cooperating with an open end of the slots of said ornament whereby said members are engaged by a longitudinal approaching movement.

3. The combination with a bag frame having opposed members hinged together and movable toward and away from each other of a channel member at the outer face of one of said members and having converging side walls extending away from said member, and an ornament member having cooperating converging slots in the under face thereof receiving said side walls, said channel member having an open end cooperating with an open end of the slots of said ornament whereby said members are engaged by a longitudinal approaching movement, and a means provided by the channel member and engaging the ornament to prevent accidental movement thereof in at least one longitudinal direction relative to said channel member.

4. The combination with a bag frame having opposed members hinged together and movable toward and away from each other of a channel member at the outer face of one of said members and having side Walls extending away from said member in angular relation to each other, and an ornament having slots in the underside thereof each receiving a side in interlocking engagement and terminating short of one end of the ornament said channel member having an open end cooperating with open ends of the slots of said ornament at the other end whereby said members are engaged or disengaged by lon-. gitudinal movement.

GEORGE S. MERK. 

